Caladium plant named ‘OF13-635’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘OF13-635’, characterized by its upright plant habit; intermediate height; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; fancy-type leaves that are purplish red and purplish pink in color on a dark green-colored background, venation that is dark green blushed with dark greyish red in color and random white-colored spots; and petioles that are tannish pink in color with dark brown-colored stripes and tessellations or dark brown to almost black in color with tannish pink-colored stripes.

Botanical designation: Caladium X hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘OF13-635’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium X hortulanum, commercially referred to as a fancy leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘OF13-635’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2012 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium X hortulanum ‘White Christmas’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium X hortulanum ‘Burning Heart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,071, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Avon Park, Fla. in September, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by “chipping” the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘OF13-635’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘OF13-635’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Intermediate in height and upright plant habit; dense and         bushy appearance.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Fancy-type leaves that are purplish red and purplish pink in         color on a dark green-colored background, venation that is dark         green blushed with dark greyish red in color and random         white-colored spots.     -   4. Petioles that are tannish pink in color with dark         brown-colored stripes and tessellations or dark brown to almost         black in color with tannish pink-colored stripes.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘White Christmas’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Christmas’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of the new Caladium are purplish red and         purplish pink in color on a dark green-colored background,         venation that is dark green blushed with dark greyish red in         color and random white-colored spots whereas leaves of ‘White         Christmas’ have distinct dark green-colored venation with         white-colored interveinal areas that are often tinged with pink         and dark green-colored borders.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Christmas’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of the new Caladium are         tannish pink in color with dark brown-colored stripes and         tessellations or dark brown to almost black in color with         tannish pink-colored stripes whereas leaf petioles of ‘White         Christmas’ are green in color with black-colored streaks.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Burning Heart’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Burning Heart’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of the new Caladium are purplish red and         purplish pink in color on a dark green-colored background,         venation that is dark green blushed with dark greyish red in         color and random white-colored spots whereas leaves of ‘Burning         Heart’ are bronze in color with contrasting salmon         orange-colored spots.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Burning Heart’ differ in leaf         petiole color as leaf petioles of the new Caladium are tannish         pink in color with dark brown-colored stripes and tessellations         or dark brown to almost black in color with tannish pink-colored         stripes whereas leaf petioles of ‘Burning Heart’ are green in         color with faint brown-colored markings.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Florida Moonlight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,565. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Florida Moonlight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are more upright than and not as         mounding as plants of ‘Florida Moonlight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Moonlight’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of the new Caladium are purplish red and         purplish pink in color on a dark green-colored background,         venation that is dark green blushed with dark greyish red in         color and random white-colored spots whereas leaves of ‘Florida         Moonlight’ have greenish white-colored leaves and venation.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Moonlight’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of the new Caladium are         tannish pink in color with dark brown-colored stripes and         tessellations or dark brown to almost black in color with         tannish pink-colored stripes whereas leaf petioles of ‘Florida         Moonlight’ are tan in color with green-colored tessellations.

Plants of the new Caladium can also be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Candidum Senior’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Candidum Senior’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum Senior’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of the new Caladium are purplish red and         purplish pink in color on a dark green-colored background,         venation that is dark green blushed with dark greyish red in         color and random white-colored spots whereas leaves of ‘Candidum         Senior’ are greenish white in color with medium green-colored         venation and thin green-colored margins.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum Senior’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of the new Caladium are         tannish pink in color with dark brown-colored stripes and         tessellations or dark brown to almost black in color with         tannish pink-colored stripes whereas leaf petioles of ‘Candidum         Senior’ are tan in color with greenish brown-colored         tessellations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 7) is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘OF13-635’ in a container and grown in a shade house (tuber de-eyed).

The photograph at the top of the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 7) is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘White Christmas’ (left), ‘OF13-635’ (center) and the male parent, ‘Burning Heart’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet (FIG. 3 of 7) is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Florida Moonlight’ (left), ‘OF13-635’ (center) and ‘Candidum Senior’ (right).

The photograph at the top of the third sheet (FIG. 4 of 7) is a comparison view of typical plants of ‘OF13-635’ grown in containers, the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet (FIG. 5 of 7) is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘OF13-635’ grown in an open production field.

The photograph on the fourth sheet (FIG. 6 of 7) is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers with roots and leaf petioles of ‘OF13-635’.

The photograph on the fifth sheet (FIG. 7 of 7) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘OF13-635’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shade house (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight conditions in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shade house and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the shade house-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C., night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles. During the production of the outdoor nursery-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles. Plants grown in the shade house were four weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were six months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium X hortulanum ‘OF13-635’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘White             Christmas’, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Burning             Heart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,071. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             temperatures about 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented; individual segments             elliptic in shape. Height: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 6             cm to 8.2 cm. Segment height: About 2.2 cm. Segment             diameter: About 2.3 cm. Axillary bud shape: Roughly             triangular. Axillary bud size: About 3 mm by 3.5 mm.             Texture: Thick, starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Periderm,             freshly-harvested: Close to 199A. Periderm, dried: Close to             200A to 200B. Epidermis: Initially, close to 159C to 159D             becoming closer to 159C with development. Cortical tissue:             Close to 8D. Axillary buds: Close to 38C. Root description:             Moderately thick, fleshy contractile roots with few lateral             branches; color, close to N155D. Rooting habit: Medium             density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Intermediate in height and upright             plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth             habit and rapid growth rate; potted plants finish in             saleable form in about four weeks after planting tubers;             leaf petioles and leaves arise from one or more growing             points on tubers; leaf petioles initially upright and             somewhat outwardly leaning with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane, shade             house-grown potted plants.—About 38 cm to 41 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescences,             shade house-grown potted plants.—About 40.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shade house-grown potted             plants.—About 40 cm to 45 cm.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shade house-grown potted plants,             tubers not de-eyed.—About four to five develop per #1 tuber.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shade house-grown potted plants,             tubers de-eyed.—About four to five develop per #1 tuber.         -   Cataphylls, shade house-grown potted plants.—Length: About             6.3 cm to 10.5 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm to 1.8 cm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute or emarginate. Base: Sheathing the             stem. Color, outer surface: Initially close to N170D and 49D             with variable stippling, streaks and marbling, close to 202A             and 200A and towards the apex, close to 185B; with             development, color becoming closer to 200C faintly tinged             with close to 187C. Color, inner surface: Close to N155B and             196D; colors and patterns on outer surface visible on inner             surface. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; fancy-type.         -   Length, shade house-grown potted plants.—About 18 cm to 27.9             cm.         -   Width, shade house-grown potted plants.—About 13 cm to 17.6             cm; when flattened, about 13.5 cm to 18 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate, cordate.         -   Apex.—Acute to cuspidate.         -   Base.—Sagittate-peltate, cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire; mostly flat with broad undulations.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Glabrous, interveinal             areas convex and concave; leathery; dull sheen.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Glabrous, interveinal             areas convex and concave; leathery; dull sheen and veins,             glaucous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shade house-grown potted plants.—Developing and fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Background color: Close to             147A with a suffusion of speckles, close to 155C. Towards             the margins: Close to 147A with a suffusion of speckles,             close to 155C. Leaf edge: Narrow, close to 187B. Basal             notch: Close to 187B. Leaf attachment point: Close to 147A             flushed with close to N186C. Midvein and lateral venation:             Close to 147A and close to 147A flushed with close to N186C             and surrounded by close to 155C; smaller veins, close to             N155B. Interveinal areas: Close to 54A, 54B and 54C. Random             spots and blotches: Close to 155C, 54A and 54B. Developing             and fully developed leaves, lower surface: Background color:             Close to 191A with a suffusion of speckles, close to 155D             and spots, close to 50D and 54B. Towards the margins: Close             to 191A with a suffusion of speckles, close to 155D and             spots, close to 50D and 54B. Leaf edge: Narrow, close to             187B. Basal notch: Close to 187B. Leaf attachment point:             Close to 187C. Midvein: Close to 196A tinged with close to             N186C surrounded by close to 191A. Lateral venation: Close             to 191A tinged with close to N186C or 187B and surrounded by             close to 191A; smaller veins, close to 55D and N155B.             Interveinal areas: Close to 54A to 54B, 50D and 190A. Random             spots and blotches: Close to 155D, 50D, 54A to 54B and 190A.         -   Petioles.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight and leaning             outwardly with development; flexible. Length, shade             house-grown potted plants: About 27 cm to 33 cm. Diameter,             distally, shade house-grown potted plants: About 4.5 mm.             Diameter, proximally, shade house-grown potted plants: About             6.5 mm to 8.5 mm. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             glaucous. Color, shade house-grown potted plants: When             developing and fully developed: Close to 182D, 49C and 49D             with stippling and tessellations of close to 202A or close             to 202A and 200A with stripes and streaks, close to 182D.             Wing length, shade house-grown potted plants: About 4.3 cm             to 6.9 cm. Wing diameter, shade house-grown potted plants:             About 8 mm to 10 mm. Texture and luster, inner and outer             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; dull. Wing color, shade             house-grown potted plants: Outer surface: Close to 155C and             49D with stippling, streaks and marbling of close to 200A             and 202A; apex variably flushed with close to 185B. Inner             surface: Close to N155B to N155C and 196D; colors and             patterns on the outer surface are visible on the inner             surface. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences observed on seven week-old     shade house-grown potted plants.     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Upright hooded spathes             surrounding a columnar spadix borne on an upright scape;             spadix with sessile, simple female and male flowers             separated into two zones; female flowers develop on the             proximal one-third of the spadix; male flowers develop on             the distal two-thirds of the spadix; sterile flowers develop             at junction of female and male flower zones; near this             junction, the spathe constricts and surrounds and encloses             the female flowers; spathe open and cupped around male             flowers.         -   Fragrance.—Night-fragrant; jasmine-like with mint note.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants of the             new Caladium typically flower during the spring and summer             in central Florida; flowers develop about seven weeks after             growth commences; inflorescences last about three days             before fading; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length, overall: About 10.5 cm. Length, distal open             portion: About 6 cm. Length, proximal closed portion: About             4.5 cm. Width, distal open portion: About 4 cm. Depth,             distal open portion: About 2.4 cm. Width, at constriction:             About 1.5 cm. Width, proximal closed portion: About 2.8 cm.             Shape, open portion: Ovate to elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base:             Acute. Margin: Entire; smooth. Texture and luster, front             surface: Smooth, glabrous; dull. Texture and luster, rear             surface: Smooth, glabrous; dull, proximally, glaucous.             Color, front surface: Distal open portion: Close to 155C;             with development, color becoming closer to 199C to 199D.             Proximal closed portion: Close to 194A and 147C; towards the             base, darkly flushed with close to 187A; color does not             change with development. Color, rear surface: Distal open             portion: Close to 145D, mottled and marbled with close to             155C; color does not change with development. Proximal             closed portion: Close to 147B, 147C and 147D with mottling             and flecks of close to 148C and 148D, edge can be tinged             with close to 185B; color does not change with development.         -   Spadix.—Length, overall: About 6.3 cm. Length, male flower             zone: About 4.5 cm. Length, sterile zone: About 1.5 cm.             Length, female flower zone: About 1.8 cm. Diameter, male             flower zone: About 9.5 mm. Diameter, sterile flower zone:             About 7 mm. Diameter, female flower zone: About 1 cm. Shape:             Columnar, spindle-shaped. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse.             Aspect: Upright. Color, mature, male zone: Close to 155D.             Color, mature, sterile zone: Close to 155D. Color, mature,             female zone: Close to 158D. Male flowers: Quantity per             spadix: About 160. Shape: Obovate to irregularly shaped.             Height: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Pollen amount:             Sparse to moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9D. Female             flowers: Quantity per spadix: About 156. Shape: Obovate.             Height: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma color:             Close to 158D. Ovary color: Close to 159C.         -   Scape.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Strength:             Sturdy; flexible. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; dull to slightly glossy. Color: Close to             147C tinged with close to 146C and with faint stippling,             streaks and stripes of close to 200A; just below spathe,             glaucous and close to 147C tinged with close to 146C and             with faint stippling, streaks and stripes of close to 200A             and 200B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Pathogen & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot and above     average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. In cooler     zones, tubers can be “lifted” prior to first freeze and stored in a     cool dry environment to overwinter for re-planting the following     spring. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘OF13-635’ as illustrated and described. 